Paeonia plant named ‘Smith Opus 2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Paeonia  plant named ‘Smith Opus 2’, characterized by its compact and symmetrically globular plant habit; vigorous growth habit; relatively narrow and finely-incised leaves; numerous large flowers that are arranged on strong peduncles above and beyond the foliar plane; long flowering period; flowers with creamy white-colored petals with purple-colored margins and large prominent red purple-colored flares at the petal bases; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Paeonia lactiflora×[(Paeonia lutea×Paeoniasuffruticosa)×Paeonia rockii].

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMITH OPUS 2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Paeoniaplant, botanically known as Paeonia lactiflora×[(Paeonia lutea×Paeoniasuffruticosa)×Paeonia rockii] and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Smith Opus 2’.

The new Paeonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in West Newton, Mass. and Windham, N.H. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new hardy Paeonia plantswith unique and attractive flower coloration.

The new Paeonia plant originated from a cross-pollination in 1998 inWest Newton, Mass. of Paeonia lactiflora ‘Martha W.’, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with [(Paeonia lutea×Paeoniasuffruticosa)×Paeonia rockii] ‘D-67’, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Paeonia plant was discovered in June, 2004 andselected in 2005 by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from withinthe progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environmentin Windham, N.H.

Asexual reproduction of the new Paeonia plant by tissue culture inChicoutimi, Canada, since April, 2005, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Paeonia plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Paeonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Smith Opus 2’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Smith Opus 2’ as a new and distinct Paeoniaplant:

-   -   1. Compact and symmetrically globular plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Relatively narrow and finely-incised leaves.    -   4. Numerous large flowers that are arranged on strong peduncles        above and beyond the foliar plane.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Flowers with creamy white-colored petals with purple-colored        margins and large prominent red purple-colored flares at the        petal bases.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Paeonia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Martha W.’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Paeonia are more compact than and not as        upright as plants of ‘Martha W.’.    -   2. Plants of the new Paeonia have more finely-incised leaves        than plants of ‘Martha W.’.    -   3. Plants of the new Paeonia have larger flowers than plants of        ‘Martha W.’.    -   4. Plants of the new Paeonia and ‘Martha W.’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Martha W.’ have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Paeonia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, ‘D-67’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Paeonia are more compact than plants of        ‘D-67’.    -   2. Plants of the new Paeonia are more freely branching than        plants of ‘D-67’.    -   3. Plants of the new Paeonia have more finely-incised leaves        than plants of ‘D-67’.    -   4. Plants of the new Paeonia have larger flowers than plants of        ‘D-67’.    -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Paeonia and ‘D-67’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘D-67’ have yellow-colored flowers        with large red-colored central flares.

Plants of the new Paeonia can be compared to plants of Paeonia ‘GardenTreasure’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,718. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in Windham, N.H., plants of thenew Paeonia differed from plants of ‘Garden Treasure’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Paeonia were larger and more upright than        plants of ‘Garden Treasure’.    -   2. Plants of the new Paeonia were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Garden Treasure’.    -   3. Plants of the new Paeonia had more finely-incised leaves than        plants of ‘Garden Treasure’.    -   4. Plants of the new Paeonia flowered earlier and were more        freely flowering than plants of ‘Garden Treasure’.    -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Paeonia had fewer petals than        flowers of plants of ‘Garden Treasure’.    -   6. Plants of the new Paeonia and ‘Garden Treasure’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Garden Treasure’ had yellow-colored        flowers without central flares.

Plants of the new Paeonia can also be compared to plants of Paeonia‘Singing In The Rain II’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,374. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Windham, N.H.,plants of the new Paeonia differed from plants of ‘Singing In The RainII’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Paeonia were taller than and not as compact        as plants of ‘Singing In The Rain II’.    -   2. Plants of the new Paeonia were more outwardly spreading than        and not as upright as ‘Singing In The Rain II’.    -   3. Plants of the new Paeonia had larger flowers with fewer        petals than plants of ‘Singing In The Rain II’.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Paeonia and ‘Singing In The Rain        II’ differed in flower color as flowers of plants of ‘Singing In        The Rain II’ were bright yellow in color without central flares.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Paeonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Paeonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Smith Opus 2’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalopened flower and a typical flower bud of ‘Smith Opus 2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction conditions during the early spring and summer in an outdoornursery in Windham, N.H. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 3° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom −1° C. to 20° C. Plants were six years old when the photographs andthe description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Paeonia lactiflora×[(Paeonia lutea×Paeonia    suffruticosa)×Paeonia rockii] ‘Smith Opus 2’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Paeonia lactiflora ‘Martha W.’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—[(Paeonia lutea×Paeonia            suffruticosa)×Paeonia rockii] ‘D-67’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; close to 166C to 166D in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous subshrub;            compact and symmetrically globular plant habit; vigorous            growth habit; rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 76 cm to 86 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 114 cm to 122 cm.-   Axillary stem description:    -   -   Quantity per primary branch.—About two.        -   Length.—About 24 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Internode length.—About 10 cm, highly variable.        -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to slightly arching.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, bi-ternately compound with about            nine leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 28 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 23 cm to 28 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 5 cm to 11 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 4 cm to 9 cm.        -   Leaflet shape.—Broadly elliptical, finely incised.        -   Leaflet apex.—Broadly acuminate often with emargination.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Finely and deeply incised.        -   Leaflet texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to            146C overlain with close to 46A. Developing leaves, lower            surface: Close to 147C overlain with close to 46A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 191A; venation, close to 145A.        -   Petiole length.—About 14 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 145A to 145B;            venation, close to 182B and 181B.        -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 144A; venation, close            to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single cupped            flowers; flowers terminal or axillary; flowers face upright            to outward; flowers arranged on strong peduncles above and            beyond the foliage; freely flowering habit, about 40 to 60            flowers develop per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, flowering            continuous from late spring to early summer in an outdoor            nursery in New Hampshire; plants begin flowering about 60            days after bud break in the early spring.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six days on the plant            and about three days as a cut flower; flowers not            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Mild, lemon-like.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm to 3.4 cm. Diameter: About            2.6 cm to 2.8 cm. Shape: Globose with cuspidate apex. Color:            Close to 144A to 144B, often flushed with close to 183C to            183D.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 15 cm to 18 cm. Depth (height):            About 6 cm to 7 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About nine to eleven in            about two imbricate whorls. Length: About 10 cm. Width:            About 8 cm. Shape: Rounded to nearly cordate. Apex:            Emarginate with pronounced V-shaped central notch. Margin:            Entire, sinuate or lobed. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to N155B to N155D heavily overlain with            close to N74C to N74D; small streaks and flecks, close to            N74C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155B;            towards the margins, close to 76A or 77D; base, central            flares, close to 59A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Three in a single whorl.            Length: About 2.9 cm. Width: About 3.8 cm. Shape: Obcordate            to obovate; cupped. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Truncate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            leathery. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A and N144B.            Color, lower surface: Close to 144A to 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 74 cm. Diameter, towards the base:            About 9 mm to 12 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 50            to 70. Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color:            Towards the base, close to 46A; towards the apex, close to            11C. Anther shape: Elongated ovoid. Anther length: About 3            mm to 6 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 14A. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: About three. Pistil length: About 2.2 cm to 2.5 cm.            Stigma shape: Claw-shaped, acutely convex. Stigma color:            Close to 11C. Ovary color: Close to 137B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease resistance: Plants of the new Paeonia have been observed to    be resistant to Leaf Spot and Powdery Mildew.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Paeonia have good garden    performance and have exhibited good tolerance to rain and wind and    have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about −30° C. to    about 37° C.

1. A new and distinct Paeonia plant named ‘Smith Opus 2’ as illustratedand described.